Page 139 of Bratva and Betrayal: Kirill

I don’t know if I can make that happen. But I smile, fully prepared to throw this kid under the bus that she said yes, not me.

Gale hugs me before I leave. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

I hug her back and tell her I had a great time. And it’s the truth.

“Do you need the bathroom?” I ask Violet, putting on her coat.

“No, Mommy.”

I consider if I should make her go, but I see my SUV is already idling. With all the other guards in their cars waiting, I nod and lead Violet out of the ice cream parlor.

On the way back to Iron Keep, I sense the driver getting tense. He speaks Russian to my guard, and I find it unnerving because I don’t understand the language.

Is he telling my guard to snitch on me to Kirill?

Next, we’re pulling into a sketchy-looking gas station with a convenience mart. The driver gets out and pumps gas into the SUV.

My guard puts his face in my window and mouths: Two minutes. He scans the area, but doesn’t look concerned.

The SUV behind us just idles. Since those guards remain in their vehicle, I relax.

But Violet tugs on my sleeve. “Mommy, I have to go.”

I exhale and don’t ask why she didn’t say yes earlier. Damn, Kirill is so much better at this. He forces her to go to the bathroom before and after they go anywhere.

“Come on.” I open the car door, and my guard looks horrified.

“Madam, wait until we get to Iron Keep.”

“She’s a child. She needs to use the bathroom. She can wet the car. I assume you don’t want that.” I help my daughter out. “It’s right inside the mart. Come with me if you’re concerned.”

He gets on his radio, and I think I’m done for. He works for me. He’s my guard. I don’t wait for him. My child’s health comes before a guard covering his ass.

The excursion to the ice cream shop, an innocent detour, was an hour. That’s all.

I steer Violet around the pumps, thinking, I’ll smooth this over when Kirill gets home. We go inside the convenience mart, and I bring my daughter into the narrow bathroom. She goes into the stall herself, not needing my help. I admit I’m nervous about how long she’s taking. When she comes out, I exhale and help her wash her hands, even soap them up together with mine.

“This bathroom is stinky,” she says, then dries them under the hand dryer.

“We’ll be home in a few minutes.” I use a paper towel on mine.

Leaving the mart, I cross the open lane to get back to my SUV. But another black SUV pulls in quickly and stops short right in front of us.

Blocking us.

Chapter 45

Sandrine

My heart leaps into my throat, but I see it’s a Tahoe. Kirill has Escalades. Maybe it’s some anxious person needing coffee, or beer, or scratch-offs, or the bathroom.

“Hold my hand.” I grip Violet’s fingers tight in mine to go around the Tahoe.

Some people don’t see small children.

Then a lot happens at once. The Tahoe’s front passenger window opens.

A man wearing dark sunglasses points a gun at me. “Don’t fucking move.”